The Catholic Parish of Blessed John Henry Newman

Covering most of East Leeds

A Beginning And An End.

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Picture the scene; it is a beautiful summer's day and a little boy is playing on the beach, he packs sand with his plastic spade into a bright red bucket. Then he upends the bucket and the beginning of a sandcastle is created. Not far away a middle aged man is working in his office, he dictates letters, reads and moves documents into folders, plays with his computer, delegates assignments, signs various documents and a handsome profit has been made.

Two builders; two castles, they see nothing, but make something, yet for both of them the tide will turn and the end will come. Yet that's where the similarities cease, the boy sees the end of his castle coming, whilst the man ignores it. Watch the small boy as dusk approaches, the waves get nearer and the child begins to clap, there is no sorrow, no fear, no regret, for he knew this would happen. When the great wave finally crashes upon his castle and his masterpiece is sucked into the sea, he smiles, picks up his bucket and spade, takes hold of his father's hand and goes home.

The business man however is not so wise, as the wave of years collapse his castle and his business and health begin to fail and he is terrified. He hovers over the castle he has created for himself and tries to block the incoming tide of debt, by arranging yet more loans, but the tide does not respond and bankruptcy looms. Under such tremendous business pressure he has a heart attack, finishes up in hospital, where he dies.

We do not know much about sandcastles, but children do, so watch and learn. When evening comes and the sun sets, the tide turns and washes everything away.

Then you must salute the process of life and like the child, take your Father's hand and go home in peace.

In our lifetime, we have held many things in our hands and have lost them all.
But whatever we have placed in God's hands, they are protected by Him.